1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to articles of footwear having an adjustable length, and more particularly to articles of footwear capable of allowing a wearer to selectively alter the length of an article of footwear.
2. Background of Related Art
The fit of articles of footwear, such as athletic shoes, is often critical to the wearer's performance or comfort. Most footwear is sold in a discrete number of sizes, with each size having a characteristic length and width. Such a system typically provides enough variety for most people to find a size that fits well enough to wear without significant discomfort. However, because the lengths and widths are inextricably linked by the discrete sizes, some people find their closest fit size is either slightly too long or too short for one or both of a person's feet.
Particularly in the case of children and adolescents, rapidly (and/or unevenly) growing feet may cause a shoe or pair of shoes to be too small in a short period of time. The potential cost of buying sizes that are too large for children and adolescents to “grow into” may be that injuries occur or performance and/or comfort are limited. Relatedly, many people of all ages have left and right feet that are slightly different, potentially making an identically sized matched pair less than ideal. Compromising on the fit of one shoe for the benefit of the other is a common occurrence, and one that can potentially be an issue for people with a larger than usual size discrepancy or those that desire a closer, consistent fit on both of their feet.
Further, a number of factors may cause a wearer to desire a longer or shorter fit at different times. For example, a person's foot is known to change size in response to a number of factors such as the time of day, the temperature, or a medical condition. Even aside from actual changes in a person's foot size, other factors may influence the desired fit such as the type of sock worn, braces or wraps on the foot or ankle, and/or personal preference for different fits in different situations.
For instance, winter runs may call for thicker socks than summer runs, and this sock difference may slightly change the size of the shoe needed to accommodate the wearer's foot. In the event of a minor injury or during recovery from an injury, one shoe may need to be larger than the other to accommodate a brace or wrap on the injured foot or ankle. Particularly in the event that a wearer has properly fitting shoes to begin with, the addition of extra layers on the foot and ankle may cause a poor fit. In some cases, athletes may simply have a preference for a tighter fit during a game, competition, or race than they desire for non-competition activities like warm-ups. All these reasons and more evidence a need to provide an article of footwear that allows a wearer to adjust the length to suit their needs.
Past attempts to address this need have been met with limited success. Mechanisms such as pumps and lacing/strapping systems have been employed in the past to provide some level of adjustability. These mechanisms each have shortcomings. Some of these shortcomings can be in one or more of: durability, ease of adjustment, comfort, stability, and range of adjustment. In the case of an athletic shoe, shortcomings in one or more of these areas may result in the wearer suffering a loss of performance, reduced comfort, or a shortened lifespan of the shoe.
What is needed, therefore, is an article of footwear that allows the wearer to adjust a dimension of the shoe, such as the length. The article should provide for simple and reliable adjustment, while preserving the comfort and durability of the article. It is to such an article of footwear that embodiments of the present invention are primarily directed.